Method of making gaskets



Jan- 2, 1940. G. T. BALFE 2,185,908

METHOD OF MAKING GASKETS original Filed Aug. 22, 1954 2 sheets-sheer 1 Jan. 2, 1940. G. T. BALFE l METHOD 0F MAKING GASKETS original Filed Aug. 22. 19'54 2 sheets-sneer 2 @3% flawua I Patented Jan. 2, 1940 UNITED STATES "PATENT easaiios ortical METHOD on MAKING GAsKETs George T. Balfe, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Detroit Gasket abI Mfg. Company,Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Original application August v22, 1934, SerialNo. 741,024. Divided and this application September 8, 1936, Serial No. 99,897 v i 6 Claims.

My invention relates to gaskets adapted for sealing joints having various types of Contact surfaces and seating surface contours.

One object of the invention is to provide a gasket having a beveled edge or other shape as required, which is formed in such a manner as to reinforce and strengthen the packing against distortion and disintegration, and without recourse to expensive methods of manufacture.

In the method of making the gasket of this invention, I preferably use laminated units of any of 'the structures shown in my Patents Nos. 1,776,140, 1,788,041, 1,927,450 4and 1,928,585, and applications Serial Nos. 703,647 and 690,739, now Patents Nos. 2,072,862 and 2,084,054, dated March 9, 1937 and June 15, 1937, respectively. These units comprise in general (1) a metal layer and superposed to form a built-up structure of the desired thickness; this built-up structure having the contour of the individual `units is subjected to an axial compression for the purpose of forming the beveled edge or other required contact surface contour and for adhesively uniting the units into a single body structure or gasket.

' Thiscompression of the gasket to give 4the desired contour or beveled edge takes place upon the built-up 'structure having the contour `of the :individual units and by resorting to a compressing of the built-up structure the necessity of cutting or otherwise shearing the gasket or subjecting itto final smoothing operations to perfect the contour is eliminated; atthe same time the interior Wall or edgel of the gasket defining .the

Igasket opening or openings is maintained smooth,

continuous and unobstructed.

Briey stated, by compressing the built-up structure, the interior wall defining the gasket opening is not distorted while exteriorly, the units are distorted by the compression into al suitably shaped structure. This compression of the metal and cushioning material layers densies and` strengthens the gasketat the points of greatest wear, i. e., the contact vsurfaces of the gasket with :the joint. Hence, the gasket is resistant to any further distortionsuch as would ruin the* sealby reason of conditions surrounding its use,

and is not affected by disintegrating influences.

In'the drawings: y .l Figure 1 is a top elevation representative of .a

ring or circular gasket of the present invention.

Figurel 2 is a side elevation of the gasket shown in Figure `1 having divergent beveled edges.

FigureS is a sectional view` of the gaskety shown in Figures 1 and2.

Figure 4 is a sectional-view similar'to vFigure 3, but wherein the gasketis providedwith but a single Ybeveled "edge as r distinguishedv from divergent beveled edges asshown in Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a view of oneof the units disclosed in my Patent No..1,776,140, which are employed inl superposed relation to form the built-up structure of the presentgasket. 1 Al i Figure 6 is a sectional view enlarged to. show the densifying and reinforcing effect of the com formed; this result obtains with boththe' divergent beveled edge gasket of Figures 2 and 3` and the single beveled edge gasket of Figure4. Figure 6a is a` detail View showing how the units are compressed and locked together.

Figures-7 and 8 illustrateone manner in which `the gasket is `compressed to form` the vfinal product of Figures 1 to4 4 inclusive. Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12 `.and 14 are partial sectional views of various built-up gasket structures comprising metal and cushion layer units and unitsdevoi'd of metal layers. f Figure 13 is a sectional view of a built-up struc- `ture in which the-metal and cushion layers ,arer integral. i

Referring to the drawings, in Figure 5 I have illustrated a gasket unit 'A comprising layers of cushion sealing material l0 of asbestosor similar material with a metal insert Il disposed therebetween. The insert Il has projections l2 struck therefrom which are, embedded in the sealing material layers by pressure. Preferably the ends I3 of the projections extend tothe-outer surface of the gasket material layers l0 and are bentfover to lie in the plane thereof, forming a` smooth outer surface. '.Thel gasket .material shown in Figure 5 will take any of the forms illustrated in my aforesaid patents and applications, the structure of Figure 5 being disclosed in my Patent No.

The units A are built up to provide the rdesired gasket thickness and the respective units are adhesively united by a suitable. adhesive I4 which "isf temperature, pressure, 'andwater resistant.

pressing action whereby the beveled edge isgo I.

Examples of suitable adhesives are shellac and glue although other adhesives may be employed. The units, moreover, may be securedtogether by means of rivets or metal stitching.

The gasket illustrated in Figure 2 is provided with divergent beveled surfaces I while 4the gasket shown in Figure 4 is provided with a single beveled surface I6. Other shapes and contours will be formed as required in accord-- .as required, and the two beveled surfaces I5 may converge to a medial line relative to the gasket, in which case the interior'layers B will be more or completely deformed. The same changes may be made in the gasket shown in Figure 4 in that the contour I6 may extend so as to include completely the edges of the lower units B', i. e., this unit may be deformed to produce the desired contour or simply compressed and but slightly deformed. i

In the manufacture of the gasket, the units A are sprayed with adhesive Id, the interior unitsI upon both sides and the exterior units upon one side only. Thereafter, the units with the adhesive in wet condition are builtup on the fixed die I1 to the required height as shown in Figure '1. It will be observed that the built-up structure has' the form and shape of the individual units A. In this condition, it is acted upon by the movable die I8 in thev manner shown in Figure 8. In the present instance, the fixed and movable dies are formed with beveled surfaces I9 and 28 so that a gasket having divergent beveled edges l5 as shown in Figure 2 is produced. The contour of dies I1 and I8, of course, will be changed in size and --shape in accordance with the contour which it is desired to impart to the iinal product.

In addition to producing the desired contour in 'the built-up structure, the compressing action also acts to unite the several units by means of the adhesive I4. Of course, the built-up structure with units adhesively united may be preformed and then placed on the fixed die I1, but I prefer to accomplish the adhesive union of the units simultaneously with the compressing of the built-up structure into its final shape.

The outside units will preferably have their contact or surface portions coated with a nonsticky material such as graphite and a suitable lm forming resistant layer may be employed cooperating with the graphite layer to protect vthe same and reduce the possibility of sticking .I9 and 20 ofthe dies I1 and I8 will be varied in size and shape as required.

This compressing apparatus comprises as shown in Figures 'I and 8,-the xed die I1 with which is associated a resiliently mounted head '50 or stop guided by said die, as shown, and

ward through openings 6I in the head 52, and

in the upper position of the head engage a stationary stop plate 62; also these pins prevent rotation of the die in the head. The head 52, as will be understood, is movable with relation to the fixed plate 62. Referring to Figure '7, it will be noted that the stop plate 62 and pins 66 serve to limit the inward or upward movement of the freely slidable die I8 in the recess 51 while the upper face of the mandrel 53 engaging the under face of the bottom or closed end of the die, limits its outward or downward movement, as shown at 63. The shaft 5d of the mandrel extends slidably through an opening 54 in the bottom wall of the recess 58 in die I8, and its adjacent lower end is enlarged to engage the bottom face of the recess 51 in the head as shown at 65.

When the work, such as a laminated or superposed structure having an opening as described, is positioned on the die I1, the machine is operated to cause the head 52 with the mandrel 54 and die I8 to descend toward head 56 and die I1, and the pins 66 are moved away fiom the stop plate 62. The die I8 rst engages the Work but being freely slidable is moved upwardly thereby until its upper face or closed end is engaged by the inner face of the bottom of recess 51 in the descending head 52 as shown at 66, Figure 8, when the die is then positively forced downwardly by the head and upon the work. This takes place when the head 52 engages the resilient head 56 which acts as a stop, and con@ tinues during the remainder of `the downward movement of the head 52 to compress the die I8 upon the Work in cooperation with the fixed die I1. In this downward movement of head 52 and die I8, the mandrel is positioned within the recess in the dies opposite the work, as shown in Figure 8, so that the work is compressed axially to form a shaped or bevelled edge, and at the same time, the Work is sup-v ported laterally by the mandrel internally and by the head 56 externally, as shown at 61 in Figure 8.

In the upward movement ofthe head, the mandrel first moves upwardly ywith the head from the work, and if there is no sticking of the work upon the mandrel, the latter in its upward movement moves into engagement with the die I8 to lift it from the work. In some cases, the work sticks to the mandrel and then the die is carried up simultaneously with the head and mandrel and until the pins 60 strike the plate 62, when furtherl movement of die I8 is stopped, and then as the mandrel moves into the recess in the die, in the continued upward movement of the head, the work is ejected from the mandrel. This stripping action takes place at a convenient position in that the operator may easily remove the gaskets and insert or build up others on the fixed die. I1.

Referring to Figure 6, it will be noted that the compressing operation serves (1) to densify and (2) to deform the metal and cushion sealing material layers. This serves to reinforce and fortify the gasket at `the points of greatest wear. For example, the principal contact surfaces 2| and 22 ofthe gasket are highly compressed and the insert material very completely embedded in the alternate layers of the cushion sealing material. By reason of this deformation, the gasket has a most perfect t, is thoroughly rigid and resists distortion and is fortified to a remarkable extent against the action of iluid pressure, liquid pressure, heat, cold, and chemical action. These are vital considerations in any packing and by preliminarily densifying the gasket into a conforming structure, i. e., having a conforming contact surface or surfaces, the efficiency of the gasket is very much enhanced.

While I have shownin Figure 6 only the units 2| and 22 as being substantially deformed, the units 23 and 24 are also deformed and densied as shown. The unitsZI and 22, as will be observed, constitute the contact surface of the gasket and a perfectly conforming t is obtained without the necessity for subsequenttreatment of the gasket after the compressing action.

The deformation takes place as shown in Figures 6 and 6a so that the density of the cushion material increases progressivelyfrom the wall of the gasket opening to the peripheral edge of the gasket. l

The innermost layer B may not vbe distorted by the compressing action but simply become densied. In this connection, if desired, one or more uncompressed units may be adhesively united to the compressed layers 2l, 22, 23,24 for the purpose of forming a gasket as shown in Figure 4. Also, if desired, gaskets 'such as shown in Figure 4 may be formed and their bases adhesively united to produce a gasket having divergent beveled edges as shown in Figure 3. In either instance, the interior layers B or B' may be either compressed or compressed and deformed or constitute uncompressed units adhesively applied after the other units have been compressed. I prefer, however, to form the gasket in the manner heretofore describedl using a compressing apparatus as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. v

In Figure 6a, I have illustrated how the gasket units in some cases nest at their outer peripheries. Thus the upper unit Il is `*deformed to have in effect a continuous circumferential bead or projection Illiitting in a similar groove II'v in the next unit beneath, and thus one or all of the units are locked in position against both longitudinal and transverse strains on the gasket when under pressure. If desired, beads IIJ' and groove I I are preformed in the units before they are built up. Such projections may be continuous or spaced and likewise with the corresponding grooves or recesses. The projections and corresponding grooves and recesses may be disposed circumferentially vas shown, or disposed interiorly of the units. I

Referring to Figures 6, 7 and 8, and particularly Figure l'1, it will be noted that the interior wall 26 defining the gasket opening 21 is smooth and unobstructed before compression. This condition is maintained during compression by means of the mandrel 53 which as shown in Figure 8 is positioned coextensive with the interior wall 26 during the compressing operation. This mandrel not only aids in assuring that the wall 26 tinuous, but also aids' by cooperating with the fixed andmovable dies in providing for an ecient shaping of the gasket by the ycompressing action. Againas the mandrel is withdrawn from the gasket opening as above described, the wall is given a wiping and smoothing.

In Figure 5, the gasket unit A is illustrated as comprising a metal layer, sandwiched between the cushion layers. However, I may use plain metal and cushion layers in any built-up arrangement, preferably, however, disposing the cushion and metal layer alternately with the cushion layers exposed; I may also use units consisting of a single cushion layer and a single metal layer of the type described in my aforesaid patents.

The compressing action` of a built-up structure having the initial form or shape of its units, as explained, serves to fortify and reinforce the gasket. All of the material of the original builtup structure is retained and compressed to a highly densiiiedcondition so that the gasket will resist deformation aswell as disintegration.

The greatest deformation of the gasket by the compressingaction described takes place with ,the outermost units while the inner unitsv are deformed to a proportionately decreasing extent as shown in Figure 6, the innermost units being only slightly deformed but all of the units are compressed and densiiled. Dependent upon the charactervof the dies and the number of units, some of the lowermost units will not be deformed but simply compressed and densied.

As stated, I prefer to adhesively unite the enclosing theunitstor layers 36. 'I'his structure may be reversed to form a built-up structure in .which the units A are the inner layers and the units Aor layers 36 are the surface layers, as in Figure 14.

, In Figure 11,'the structure is built up of .one

or more layers or units 36 constituting one side of the gasket and one or more layers or units A constituting the opposite side. This juxtaposing of pairs of layers or units may be carried out with any of the gaskets herein described, i. e., a single layer 36 or A may be employed or two more of such layers utilized in the various modications illustrated and described in this application.

In Figure 12, the construction comprises surface layers or units A and alternately superposed units or layers A and 36. The surface layers are in some cases formed of the units 36 and the interior layers alternately interleaved as shown.

In Figure 13 the metal layers are embedded in each two adjacent cushion layers, forming an integral laminated structure or unit having three or more cushion layers and a metal insert between each two cushion layers. This unit may `be used wherever desired in lieu of one of the units A, e. g., in any of the built-up structures shown. I

The units A and 36may be of any desired units simultaneously with the compressing action 'L35 v4.5 In Figure 10 the units yA are the surface layers thickness-and for example the layers 3S which are devoid of metal may be. integral of required thickness and the units A may be as thick as desired or integral units as shownin Figure 13 are used, or the units l!! and 315 built up as in Figures 10, 11 and 12.

The cushion material Willfbe asbestos, cork composition, cardboard, or mixtures of insulating material. A cushion layer as described in my Patent No. 1,788,0fl1 is preferred in View of its resistant characteristics.

I have shown the gasket as provided with an external bevelled shape but it will be understood that this contour may be imparted to the interior wall of the gasket.- Again, both the interior and exterior walls of the gasket may be shaped as required.

While I have illustrated the gasket as comprising a built-up structure of superposed units, I will, in some cases, take asheet of the material described in any of my aforesaid patents, for example, that illustrated in Figure 5 and roll the same into a cylinder. In such a construction, the free ends of the cylinder will be bound in any suitable manner to form a sealedjoint where required. For example, the metal layer at one end of the sheet projects beyond the cushion layers while atl the opposite end, the cushion layers project beyond the metal layer. Thus, when the sheet is rolled into form, the meeting ends of the cylinder are joined by interposing the exposed portion of the metal layer in the space between the exposed portions of the cushion layers and then compressing the seam so as to form a homogeneous cylinder. This cylinder may be shaped in the manner herein described at one or both ends with vexternalor internal into rings of appropriate thickness and these rings are provided with internal or external bevels or contours as described herein. The dovetail joint provides a very eiective seal which is in effect, homogeneous with the structure of the gasket. As a modication, the gasket material layer on one side of the metal sheet may be displaced with respect to the metal sheet, a greater distance more orless than the cushion material layer on the opposite side of the metal sheet so that the dovetail joint or seam will, in effect, `be staggered or stepped. y

I have referred to the provision of projections in one unit engaging in suitable grooves or rewherein cesses on the opposite or adjacent unit. Thus,

Y,each unit will have on one surface a projection The units l as stated above will take any of the forms illustrated in my aforesaid applications and patents. For example, in some cases, the units A will not have the metal projections eX- tending to the surface thereof. On the other hand, a construction will be provided wherein the surface units will have the metal projections extending to the surface while the interior units will have the projections terminating below the surface or vice versa. By a unit having projections extending to the surface, I mean a gasket structure as shownvin Figure 5 and by a unit wherein the projections do not extend to the surface, I mean a unit as shown in Figure 4 of my Patent No. 1,776,140.

This application is a division oi my copending 1.

application allowed June 10, 1936, Serial No. 741,024, led August 22, 1934, now Patent No. 2,072,863.

I claim:

A1. The method of making a beveled gasket gasket to a substantially lower compression adja- ,1.

cent the wall of the opening,

2. A method of the type described in claim l wherein the outer layers of said cushion material are more highly compressed than the inner layers to Aform a highly wear-resistant bevel surface.

formed than the inner layers.

4. A method of the type described in claim 1 interlocking beads and grooves are .40 3. A method of the type described in claim 1 Iwherein theeouter layers oi metal are more deformed on the alternate layers of material during compression.

5. A method of the type described in claim 1 wherein the layers of cushion material and sheet metal are all united together.

6. A method as dened in claim 1 whereinl the metal layers have projections which are embedded in the cushion layers.

.GEORGE T. BALFE. 

